Returns a hero
by new to the game
Summary: Terra left the Titans, and everthing else she ever cared about. But can it last that way? Does she want it to? My first Fanfic, so rate and review please. Rated T for minor language. I will update it if it is liked.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's notes:**

Well, my first fanfic. Hope you like it.

As for the legal side of things, I do not own Teen Titans or any of their stuff. I just write about them.

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Prologue:

Release

The soft plunking of falling water was the only sound. The only source of light was the moon, which shone meekly through the cracks of the cave's ceiling. In the center on a raised Dias stood a figure locked in its final moments, pain and release etched across its once soft features. Its final moments. Her final moments. At least, that's what they thought. A dim light had begun to shine, first in the center of the stone person, then spreading to its arms, its legs, its head and its toes. Eventually the entire figure shown with a dim glow. But the amazing part was just beginning. With the sound of cracking earth the stone began to fall away from where it had been for so many weeks, revealing the person underneath. Without a sound the person crumpled to the floor, lungs that had been aching for breath for so long feasting on the air around her. Eyes that had seen nothing for so long darted across the room, terror compelling their actions. Ears roared with the sound of blood rushing once more through her veins. Limbs held stiff drew in to each other, until the figure had curled into a tight ball of quaking skin. Minutes passed, then hours. As the sun spread its gaze across the city the girl finally stirred, raising herself on trembling legs, and began limping towards the exit…

Part 1:

Rebirth

2 months later

"The girl you want me to be is just a memory"…

She awoke with a start, suppressing a yelp. Brushing the cold sweat off her forehead, she twisted to look at the small clock perched on the shelf above the clump of blankets that make up her bed. 5:30 A.M. – time to get ready for school. Lifting herself upright, she takes a minute to survey the small dilapidated room she calls home. Flaking plaster covering the walls, and one naked bulb clinging helplessly to the ceiling made up her surroundings, with a doorway off to the right that leads to the rusted shower and leaky sink. But this was her life now; this is what she wanted, wasn't it? She thought to herself as she pulled on the starched white shirt and blue skirt which made up her school uniform. Grabbing a breakfast bar and her backpack she headed out of the room, down the ruined staircase and into the cool Jump-city morning. The walk to school was a long one, blocks upon block to walk, from her poor section to the city proper, a 40 minute walk on a good day, 2 hours or more on a bad one. She started down the street, quietly munching on the breakfast bar. The streets were quiet and still, seeming to mimic the emotions and thoughts of the girl who walked down them. To call the area where she lived run-down would be a compliment. Buildings that looked unfit to live in were overcrowded, food that looked weeks spoiled was peddled from cardboard merchant stands at prices the populace could barely afford. This was her life now; this was what she wanted. Wasn't it? Again, that question forced itself to the forefront of her mind, seeming to bludgeon away all other thoughts – thoughts of test she had yet to study for, or homework she didn't do.

Ironically the place she lived in had little crime, being in a quarter of town not know for wealth or affluence, either because criminals knew there was nothing of real value to steal from these poor wretches or because it just wasn't fun anymore to take a torn blanket from a decrepit old woman, or a broken toy from a baby. That was fine with her; she was a normal teen trying to get by, trying to juggle school with working odd hours at convenience stores to scrape together her meager existence. At least she was now. As the walk went on her mind further wandered. It had been three weeks since that day. That day "he" tried to get her to come back. But she was done being special. She was after all, normal. Right? Right, she said to herself angrily, brushing away a lock of blond hair as she walked up the steps to her school – Murakami High.

"OK class, I'm _sure_ we _all_ did our homework, so let's pass that... oh what's this?" Said the teacher, her tone changing from slightly condescending to annoyance at this new disruption. The heavy door swung open, and a new student walked in, a boy. None of the teachers enjoyed having new students, which meant they had to release one of their students to show them around, and where's the education value in that?

"Well then, who want to give the tour to Mr.?" She glanced questioningly at the boy, waiting for an answer.

"Oh, I'm" the rest of his sentence was drowned out, as an announcement rang out over the intercom.

Before the boy could repeat himself the girl shot her hand up, eager to get out of turning in the work she didn't do.

"Very well Terra you show him around, but be back before class is over" sighed the teacher.

"Of course" Terra replied, walking out the door with the new boy in tow. "Not" she said with a smirk once the door had shut.

"So what's this school like?" asked the new boy, his eyes fixed squarely on Terra's.

Before answering, she took a second to size up the person standing in front of her. Average height, average build, everything about this kid screamed normalcy at her. Just the kind of man she was looking for she thought grimly, right?

"It's OK I guess, not much to look at here and we learn on occasion."

"Anything to watch out for around here?" He asked.

"The teachers, they can be anal sometimes."

"Oh…well thanks for the heads up, now let's see the school."

No reaction from him she noticed. Most sophomore guys would have at least sniggered, but he seemed impassive. Well maybe he has above average maturity then.

1 Month later:

"You remembered right?" Asked Terra, sitting opposite the boy who had walked into her class one month ago.

"Of course, one month today. Did you think I would forget?" Answered the boy, now boyfriend.

"No, I was just checking" she replied defensively in between bites of her sandwich.

"I remembered, or my names not…" he was interrupted by the sound of an explosion coming from across the street.

As everyone clamored to see what was happening Terra forced herself to the front, only to see the doors of the jewelry store burst open amidst the crack of gunfire and screams of people.

"No…" she breathed. Nothing like this had happened for so long she could almost pretend she didn't have powers, almost pretend she didn't want to stop them. But she couldn't, even though part of her wanted to. She had worked so hard to be normal, tried to forget "them". Tried to forget "him". And now this threatened to bring her false reality crashing down. While this war raged in her mind, no such thing was happening to the armed, and as the gunfire had confirmed, dangerous thieves. Three strong they were cornered and they knew it. Their plan blown to pieces they were desperate, and a school full of kids makes a good bartering chip. They thundered into the school grounds, up the stairs and through the doors the teachers had not yet had time to lock. With a crash of booted feet, they were upon them, screaming for everyone to get down and put their hands behind their heads. One of the armed men noticed Terra, still standing, and dashed towards her.

"No…" she thought over and over "no". The man reached her, and began dragging her towards the door with one hand holding her, the other gripping a pistol, with the intent of proving how serious they were to whoever would be watching.

"Don't!" the cry drowned out the rest of the noise, overpowering the surrounding chaos in its bid to be heard. Suddenly the man was on the floor clutching at his arm, now bent in an unnatural way. The blur that had caused his injury moved, flinging the weapon into the stomach of another man, knocking the wind out of him and dropping him to his knees. The person never stopped, and charged into the winder man, wrenching his head back and delivering a punch to his throat. The man dropped, gasping for breath. But that had given the third man time to react, and he raced into the fray, throwing the person into the wall, and stopping his assault on his partners-in-crime. As Terra cowered, her indecision still preventing her from acting one way or another, she noticed who the shape had resolved itself into: her boyfriend. Watching in disbelief, tears of frustration beginning to make their way down her cheeks, she stared at his face intently. But it was him; she had seen that face every day for the past month, there was no mistaking it. And new string of thoughts rushed into her head: this isn't like him, he's acting like a hero, why this, why now, WHY HIM? Almost as if in slow motion, the man grabbed for his gun, and began to bring it up. Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind, but one now stood out: I can't let this happen. With a strangled cry of desperation she threw her arm forward, shut her eyes and felt the familiar sensation of power shooting from her hand. A crash followed, followed by absolute silence. She opened her eyes, and looked around. Everyone was staring at her, mouth's hanging open, eyes piercing in their unbelieving stares. Her boyfriend was making his way towards her, his face filled not with disbelief, but with a look of silent victory. He reached her, gently lifted her to her feet, and while brushing a tear off her check whispered:

"We need to talk."

They left the school. No one stopped them. They threaded their way through the city, past police cars racing towards the school, past reporters in vans battling their way towards the scene of their next big break. They walked until they couldn't hear the sirens, could he the commotion, couldn't hear _anything_. Except each other.

"I" Terra began, faltering to even get one letter out.

"No" stopped her boyfriend, "I should go first. I… haven't been entirely truthful to you. About who I am, or why I'm here." She was not inclined to dispute him; he seemed like an entirely different person. His posture, though mostly unchanged, now gave off a sense of complete control, the set of his shoulders and the way he looked at her reminded her of a…hero.

"I'm no hero" he continued, as if sensing her thoughts "but I am someone who knows one when I see one."

"And you Terra, you are a hero, whether you think you are or not."

"I'm not…I was but…but things…change and..." She replied, struggling to not break down.

"Things change Terra, not people. They just grow. Sure you can try to pretend to be normal, try to be someone you're not, but on the inside you are going through hell each and every day you deny who you really are." Interrupted her boyfriend. "Ask yourself, do you REALLY want to live in a dingy apartment in a run-down quarter, not knowing anything but suffering? Do you really want to live a lie; yes that's what you're doing, for the rest of your LIFE? I don't think so. Because as hard as you try to fight it, you never forgot about the Titans, never forgot about the thrill of doing good…and you never even began to forget about "him", did you?"

"You…knew, but…how…I tried to burry my past, tried to move on, how _could you know_?" Terra said, her composure beginning to return to her. How could you know how I feel about him? She thought to herself.

"The things I did, I let myself be used, let myself hurt my friends, almost kill them, all for what? Control? Control over a power I don't even want?!"

"A power you think you don't deserve." He corrected. "Greatness is rarely a choice left to us Terra, it is left to fate. And fate has chosen you. I won't deny the things you did were terrible, but you have lived you entire life in extremes, and there were bound to be extreme consequences to parallel extreme achievements. You were a frail girl then in terms of how you saw yourself and your powers, constantly rejected, constantly looking for someone to help you. You were used, though you let yourself be used, but used none the less. But look at what you did, throughout all that, the real you, the one deep down inside began to rebel against what you were being made to do. In the end, your actions were nothing but heroic! Is it in the character of a cowardly person to sacrifice themselves? Is it their character to put the one they love…because I think that's how you feel about "him"… before themselves, even if that means death? NO! It is not Terra. You did not know you would live, yet here you are. Fate has given you another chance to be who you were meant to be…a hero."

"But what I did, it was evil, how can anyone forgive me, or trust me?!" she blurted, and added much quieter "How can I ever forgive or trust myself?"

"Terra, if you really were evil, do you think I would be here now? As for how the others will forgive you, they already have. Trust you? I know one who still dose. And for the others, let your actions speak for you, you have done dozens of evil deeds, but now you must do hundredsof good deeds. That you still express remorse is a sign that you are not evil, merely misguided. And I am here to show you the path you know you want to take. "

"And" he added "do you think you're the only one to have made mistakes? Or live with regret? You're not. In some way, shape or form, all the Titans you are so ashamed to face have been in the same situation as you. And they are still Titans, are they not?" Concluded her boyfriend with a sigh.

She was beginning to go back to the way she was before, he noted. No longer subdued, her emotions were beginning to run back into her, giving her the life they almost took away. She would still need help, her powers though more under control were still a primordial force. The relief she was feeling was evident, even to someone not gifted with the talents he possessed. Tears were flowing freely from her now, not tears of frustration or desperation, but tears of joy.

"So was all this a set-up, some kind of trick to get me to use my powers?" Terra questioned.

"No, that was…unforeseen. But the chance was too good to pass up, it may sound cruel now but it will make sense in time. You just had to use your powers on your own, for a purpose you felt warranted it."

"I understand."

"No" he laughed "but you will soon enough."

"What do I do now?" She asked.

"You know what you need to do… now I must go." He said as he turned around and began walking back into the city.

"Can I at least know your name, your real one?" She asked him, sensing the finality in his statement, as he began to disappear into the crowd.

An answer floated back to her, and for the first time since she had met this boy, it held a twinge of sadness.

"I don't have one."

And he was gone.

She turned around, just now wondering where he had led her. Then she saw it. In the distance radiating in the mid day sun… was Titans Tower.

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Well there you have it, the first chapter of my first fanfic. Review please, and I will update it if people want more.


	2. Chapter 2

AN:

Well, part 2 for your viewing/reading pleasure.

Not to sure how I feel about this part. Could be wirters block, who knows? If I add something, I'll let you guys know. As always, rate and review and comments are always appreciated.

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Return:

The tower overlooked the city. From there the Titans watched over there domain. Crime was so rampant they couldn't even attempt to heed every call of distress that came in. The Ops center was rendered almost pitch black, the sun having set hours ago. But still Robin worked by light of a lamp, cataloguing every crime from the smallest robbery to the biggest hostage situation. As he leafed through the folders bursting with police reports he stopped at one that detailed a crime that had just happened earlier that day. It was puzzling, not in how it began or why, but in how it ended. The report told of a jewelry store robbery gone school hostage situation. With a frustrated sigh Robin continued reading. The witness statements made no sense. The only constant was that three men ran into that school and three had to be carried out. One had a broken arm, X-rays at the hospital showed it was snapped neatly - the work of a professional. Another was unconscious; his throat had swollen from a strike to it. But the third, that was the one that made no sense. That man was lucky to be alive. A stone pillar supporting the roof of the cafeteria had collapsed, nearly killing him. No one who was there could give a coherent description to why it did. Some say a girl pushed it, but how a 16 year old girl could push a one ton pillar of stone was beyond Robin. Others say the school was in the middle of an earthquake, but the geological center made no mention of any kind of tremors the entire day. A case like this deserved more attention Robin decided, but it would have to wait for another day.

From where she stood Terra could see a light in Titans tower go out, leaving the tower shrouded in darkness. She stood on the pier across the bay, she had been for the last few hours, trying to think of what to say.

"Where to start? Where to end? Can I even expect them to listen to me, after everything I did?" She breathed. Despite her confusion of what to say she knew something needed to be. The conversation with…whoever that really was had made that perfectly clear.

As hard as she thought, nothing seemed appropriate to say. She was going to talk to people she had almost killed in cold-blood. A "how's it going" was hardly appropriate. Coming up with nothing and deciding it was time to act, she began to make her way towards the tower.

BeastBoy padded along, trying not to disturb the others. The unending growling of his stomach made sleep elusive, so he made his way towards the kitchen. He had changed since his last meeting with Terra – if that even was her. He still cracked jokes, and they still weren't funny, but the care-free BeastBoy had been replaced with something a little different. He was a little quieter, more introspective. The rest of the team noticed this but said nothing. Terra was his love after all and ever since her fate had been called into question he had never fully recovered. Before he had seen her he had closure, she was a statue. But now, he had no idea what happened to her. She still permeated his thoughts, his dreams, which made him want to fall asleep even quicker. After filling himself with whatever he found in the refrigerator he headed back to bed. Tossing under the covers, his mind wandered back to their last meeting: when she had told him she wanted nothing to do with him. She refused to admit she was Terra, but he knew, he just _knew_ it was her. The way she looked, talked, acted - it was her! Why wouldn't she admit that? Why wouldn't she stay with him? He knew her; she couldn't last forever in a normal life. And even if she had amnesia that stuff wears off doesn't it? But what if that wasn't her, what if she really was gone? A frustrated growl escaped his lips, all these thoughts serving only to keep him awake longer, which kept him away from her.

*Plink*

BeastBoy sat up.

*Plink*

"What is that?" He wondered aloud.

*plink*

Whatever it is it's annoying him, and keeping him awake.

*Plink*

Noticing the noise was coming from the window he made his way over, throwing the blinds aside…and coming face to face with Terra for the first time in months. He didn't believe it, it must just be a dream. It had to be a dream; she was smiling at him, her eyes blue and caring. But, he remembered, the Terra he saw in his dreams didn't smile. And then he noticed where she was – 7 stories in the air, on a rock. She didn't have her powers in his dreams. His mouth began moving, but no words came out. Finally his brain caught up with his body, and he managed to squeak out a greeting.

"Terra?"

She nodded, her smile shifting to the corner of her mouth in strained amusement.

"It's me BeastBoy. Can I talk to you…or, well if you don't want to I understand…" Came her voice, slightly muffled by the glass.

"No!" He practically shouted "Terra, please we can talk whenever you want!"

He backed up, expecting her to follow.

"Umm BeastBoy, the window?"

"Oh right, sorry" he stammered with a forced grin, quickly unlocking the window.

She stepped off the boulder she had used and it gently moved into the background of the sky. Gently, BeastBoy thought…that had not been a way Terra had done something since…his mind flashed back to the night at the amusement park where his lips almost touched her's, where his world had almost been completed, then destroyed. He didn't know where to begin; he had so much he wanted to say. But he didn't know what she was here for, though he had his hopes. Slowly the air of levity disappeared, replaced with one of solemnity.

Her smile was gone, her eyes refused to meet his.

"BeastBoy…I don't know what to say, after everything I have done to you and the other Titans…I just don't know what to say."

She was shaking he realized. She was open, defenseless before him. He saw just how much she was hurting. Minutes passed in silence, she still refused to look up, so great was her shame.

Finally she continued "Any kind of apology is worthless from me, I should never have done what I did, and by the time I realized it…I had almost, almost…"

The image of her with the pointed rock held over him flashed into both of their minds. She saw the moment where she almost lost, and he saw the moment where she started to win.

"I just don't know what to say…"

The tears could not be held back any longer, and they glistened in the moonlight, making trails of silver down her checks.

"Terra…Terra, just say you'll stay…"

His voice jolted her back, now it was her turn to gape at someone, eyes unbelieving and jaw open.

"Stay…but how, how can the others look at me? How could I expect to have their trust?"

"Terra, no one blames you anymore. We found out how unstable your powers were when we tried to bring you back. We know how badly you wanted control. Slade used you; he preyed on every weakness you had, promised you things he could never give you. But none of that matters, you're here, with us. You're a Titan, you're my friend…"

"You tried to bring me back…" She murmured in disbelief.

"We tried, but nothing worked. Everyone else gave up, but I couldn't."

"And when I saw you a few months ago, I thought I had found you, that you would come back. But why Terra, why did you push me away like that, I would never have done _anything_ to hurt you?"

This was the part she dreaded. Rejecting him had hurt him more than being Slade's apprentice ever had. She almost lost herself in her misery, but she owed him an explanation. She owed him her life.

Her gentle crying broke into sobs.

"I don't know. I didn't want to hurt you anymore. I should have told you the truth, but I thought I should just start over, as a normal person, without powers. I didn't want to be a hero; I thought I had hurt too many people to ever be one. In some ways I still think that, but someone convinced me that I needed to be here." She took a deep breath. "But the biggest reason was that…"

"What Terra?"

"Was that I thought I didn't deserve you, to be near you or in your life. I knew you wouldn't see it that way, but I didn't want to see you hurt again. By me…" she finished.

He could still barely believe she was here, back in the tower. This was something he had given up hope of seeing, but here she was!

"So…what are you going to do?"

"I don't know B.B., I want to come back but would they ever let me?" She said between her sobs.

"I don't know, but Terra, please don't cry anymore. Do you need to spend the night here?"

"No, no I'll be fine. I'll be back in the morning, I promise. I need to talk to the others." Terra said, wiping her eyes and giving him a slight smile.

"If you're sure. Just come back to my room when you're ready, I'll be waiting."

"Thank you BeastBoy, for everything." She said hugging him.

She turned around and made to leave when BeastBoy stopped her.

"Terra, I missed you so much, please come back tomorrow."

"I will, I promise." And with that she departed.

Entirely drained of energy, BeastBoy collapsed back onto his bed, and fell asleep instantly.

With a smile on his face.

For the first time in months.

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AN:

And so concludes part 2. If the dialogue sounds a little...forced, that was planned. Part 3 should be up sometime next week. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Here's part 3, hot of the presses. It's a bit on the short side, so I will update this sooner (if I can). Hopefully you like this better than part 2, which I still have to get aorund to re-writing. As always rate and review, that keeps me wanting to write more.

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Dawn broke, light streaming into the Titan's living room. The others were seated at the couch - Robin reading a police report, Cyborg flipping aimlessly through the channels, Starfire brushing her hair and Raven reading a book.

"Yo where's BeastBoy at, he hasn't popped his green head in yet?" Inquired Cyborg

"I don't know, he hasn't come out of his room and the door is locked." Said Robin.

"Heh, now if that was Raven I'd be worried." Joked Cyborg, earning a nasty glace from Raven.

"Bird-brain is probably just up to something stupid, like always. He'll probably come marching out with some surprise any minute." Raven said, turning back to her book.

"I am worried about friend BeastBoy; I will go check on him." Intoned Starfire, drifting towards the door. The trip was a short one, just down the hall.

"Friend BeastBoy, it is Starfire. Are you requiring the assistance?" She asked, knocking on the door.

"What? No Star, I'll be out soon. I have a surprise; go back out with the others." Came the muffled reply.

She obliged, returning to the others with a thoughtful look on her face.

"What is it Star, is something wrong" Robin asked.

"No, BeastBoy is unharmed. He merely seemed preoccupied. As Raven said, he is up to the something."

Raven silently raised her hand, and lifted a finger.

"And" she continued, "he said something about a surprise."

Another finger was lifted.

Robin and Cyborg shared a look of amusement.

"I wonder what it is, he hasn't exactly been back to normal ever since he thought he saw Terra." Said Robin.

"Maybe he got over it, we all miss her but sometimes you just got to let go. When a person's gone, well man, their just gone." Replied Cyborg.

"He swears it was her though…said something about some school, and things changing. I still don't know if he really saw her, or if he was just seeing what he wanted."

"Who knows man? I looked for a cure, but that's out of science's league for now."

"Even my magic has its boundaries. Everything I tried failed. Maybe she's just gone." Replied Raven.

They turned around to see BeastBoy standing there, a blank look on his face.

"BeastBoy? How long have you been there?" Asked Robin, shocked and sorry.

"Long enough..." a grin began to spread across his face, puzzling the other Titans.

"If you could talk to Terra again, what would you say?" He asked, his grin making the question that much odder for the gathered Titans.

"I would tell friend Terra that I am most saddened by her…her leaving us." Starfire began, clearly substituting the words she thought were true for ones she hopped would be less painful for BeastBoy.

"I'd say in the end, she made the right choice and I wish she was still with us." Followed Robin, with a puzzled look on his face.

"That she was one wild girl, wished she'd of stuck around." Cyborg said.

"Raven, what would you have said?" Asked BeastBoy, shifting his gaze only to her.

"She made mistakes, she messed up and she almost killed us. But for some reason I can't hate her for it and I wish she would come back."

"Why are you asking us this B.B" Cyborg said "I know you have feelings for her, but she's gone, you can't keep beating yourself up like this and _why_ are you grinning?

On the other side of the door Terra took a deep breath, planted her feet on the ground, and began to walk in.

"All that stuff you guys just said…" BeastBoy gave them a quizzical look, prompting a chorus of nods as the door behind him opened, "say it to her face…"

They saw her.

They didn't believe it was her at first, so long was her absence and so firm in their belief that she was dead.

"Terra!" Starfire was the first to break the silence. "You are alive and unharmed!"

"Terra? But how?" Robin stammered.

Cyborg's mouth just hung open.

"Impossible…" Raven whispered.

"Hey guys, how is going?" Terra replied awkwardly, waving at them. She was just glad they weren't trying to kill her for now. BeastBoy led her closer to them; they still seemed to believe she wasn't real.

"How Terra, we searched for a cure for so long, how are you free?" Robin asked. She blushed at their concern for her; it was plain on their faces, except for Raven, who gave her a guarded but not hateful stare. That was more than she could have asked for.

"I…I don't know. I don't remember being turned into stone, and no idea of how I became…normal again." She grimaced at her use of normal. She wasn't normal, not now, not ever. When BeastBoy heard that Terra didn't remember anything of when she was stone, his spirits sank; he had told her how he really felt about her in the hopes she would hear. Telling her had been easier then, when she couldn't say anything back.

"BeastBoy told us he saw you in high school. Is that true? Did you really try to just forget who you are?" Robin inquired.

Terra suddenly found the floor much more interesting than usual and stared at it intently. That question again, the one she hated.

"Yeah" she breathed "I already told BeastBoy, but you all deserve to know too. I thought it would just be better that way. I thought no one else would be hurt. I figured you wouldn't have wanted to see me anyway…"

"That is most untrue friend Terra!" Starfire blurted out.

"When we tried to bring you back, we found out just how unstable and hard to control your powers were…are. That didn't make joining Slade the right choice…but we all do things out of desperation we wish we never had." Robin said, the image of a red X in his mind.

"Sometimes we want something so bad; we almost forget who we are just to get it." Said Cyborg, looking at his hands, their cold metal reflecting the light, and remembering the H.I.V.E. academy.

"But none of that matters, our friend Terra has returned to us, this is a call for joyous celebration!" Blurted Starfire, shattering the serious mood. Terra couldn't help but smile, to think she had been stupid enough to give this all up - the only place she was accepted, in some cases more than just accepted, for who she was. She was back and she was willing to do anything to become a Titan again. She was about to ask the question, but BeastBoy beat her to it.

"So can she ever be a Titan again?" This elicited some uneasy glances from the others.

"We don't know. We didn't expect her to ever come back." Robin shifted his gaze to Terra. "We will need to run extensive tests to make sure you are stable and not under the influence of anyone." The person's name Robin was implying didn't need to be stated.

"And Terra," he added "they won't be pleasant."

She nodded emphatically. "I understand. I'll do whatever it takes to be a Titan again, I won't screw this up."

"Then the tests begin tomorrow. You will want relax and sleep today. It's going to be a long day tomorrow. BeastBoy, take her to her room."

He quickly led her away, the door closing behind them.

"Can we trust her?" Raven spoke.

"I don't know. We'll find out tomorrow though." Robin said.

"If she is herself and not some puppet, do we even want her back after what she almost did?" Pressed Raven.

"Everybody makes mistakes, and by the time she realized that's what she had done it was already out of her hands till the end." Robin replied.

"Don't worry Rae, the test will tell us if she really is herself, and if we really should trust her. They won't be painless, but they won't lie." Assured Cyborg.

They arrived at Terra's room. He opened the door and let her in first.

"It's just like last time…"

"I wouldn't let them change it."

"They wanted to change it?" She inquired.

"Well…no, but I wouldn't have let them." He said, giving her a toothy grin. She giggled, his grin turned into a smile.

"I can't thank you enough BeastBoy, I owe everyone, but especially you. You never gave up on me; always saw the good in me. Even when I didn't."

"Terra, that's what I'm here for…just let things go back to how they were."

"Can they ever B.B? Even if I do become a Titan again I can't undo what I did, as much as I wish I could."

"Terra, what were you thinking when you went with…him?"

"I wasn't. That's probably why I did it, he gave me control and I just had to give him my body. He never wanted the mind."

"So you weren't thinking huh?"

"Yeah…"

"I thought that was supposed to be my job." He laughed, hopeful that his jokes still worked on her. They did. By the time he left it was dark out and he left to give her a good sleep, giving her a good night hug before he left. They had spent the entire time talking, about what didn't matter so long as they were together.

* * *

And there is part 3. I'm suprised I'm writting this 'good', seeing as how this is literaly the first creative thing I have written since middle school. Hopefully I'll keep geetting better, and put out better chapters for you all to read.


	4. Chapter 4

I know I said this would be up eariler than usual, but things didnt exactly work out how I had planned, forcing me to not be able to keep that promise. But on the bright side, this chapter is a bit longer than the others and should be a bit better of a read than the last few ones (I hope). As always, keep the review coming, even if it's to point out something I messed up. I'm not nearly as experienced in writing as some of you must be so I try to take all the advice I can get.

* * *

They were gathered around the computers, faces downcast at what was being done. The whirr of machinery and buzz of electronics was drowned out by the screams of someone in intense pain. None of them were enjoying what was going on, but it had to happen. It had to happen if she ever wanted to come back. From sunup to sundown she would have to endure all manner of invasive tests, without any kind of sedative. It had been only several hours but to Beast Boy it had seemed a lifetime. He could hardly stand to witness this. He stood frozen, eyes locked on hers and face ashen with a sickly feeling spread throughout his body. The only reason he stayed were the screams.

She was screaming for him.

When he first heard it he had jolted up, and the other titans were afraid he would try to get in the chamber with her. But he just stared at her, sympathetic pain plain in his eyes. The absolute need one had for the other was all that kept him there, and her alive.

The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt, or ever dreamed of. It was worse than the beatings she had received from her once master, so consuming was it in its intent to destroy her. It felt like fire coursed through her veins, never relenting an instant, never giving even the briefest respite from its hateful touch. Every breath she drew was an absolute struggle, every blink of an eye seemingly a yearlong war. But she couldn't give up, couldn't allow the blissful touch of death to embrace her. This was what she wanted. She wanted to be a Titan. She wanted him.

He was the only one she saw through the veil of agony, his emerald eyes locked with her blue ones. She saw how much it hurt him to watch her suffer, knew that he would have traded places with her in an instant. So it passed this way for hours, the air in the chamber growing hot with sweat and adopting the coppery odor of blood. Her limbs seemed to wink out of existence, her eyes tunneling, her head growing heavy. The restraints binding her to the table seemed to disappear. She felt…free, though her body had seemingly ceased to be a part of her, her mind had been honed to a razors edge. And the tip was pointed at him. He kept her alive, and she kept him alive. It was a complete symbiotic relationship, both parties fueled by an intense desire to escape the pain they had hidden for so long. They found that escape in each other. They found true happiness in each other. She knew that she would survive this, if only to hear his voice one last time. She would have suffered through an eternity of this to have him.

Then it was over. Slowly her body revealed itself to her again, bringing with it a heavy numbness. Dots moved around her vision, slowly taking the shape of people she knew, what seemed like a lifetime ago. Voiced rang out though she could not hear what was being said. Her world was spinning; she was falling back from reality, falling into a deep pool of unconsciousness. She let it happen, she had passed the test and there was no reason to fight it anymore. Her world turned into a bubble filled with emotions surrounded by memories. The last conscious action she remembered was returning the squeeze of a hand from that green boy she had fallen so madly in love with.

Hours passed, then days. She was not awake for any of them. But he refused to leave her side. Keeping constant vigil over her frail form he waited. The other Titans had retreated to the briefing room to decide her fate, and he had been excluded to keep watch over her.

"So that's it then? Is everyone ready to vote?"

"Yes."

"Yeah…"

"I am ready."

"Show of hands, all for…and all against."

"So it is decided?" said a voice, heavy with resignation.

"Looks that way Star. Who wants to break the news to B.B?"

"I will, it will make it easier."

"O.K. Raven, call if he gets out of hand."

The form retreated from the room, and began its trip to the infirmary. It was surprising; they had all come to a unanimous decision. She was glad it was this way. Reaching the infirmary, she opened the door and stepped in. Beast Boy stood up, his demeanor changing from one of silent attentiveness to nervous anticipation.

"So…what is it? He asked, the tightening of his jaw muscles showing he was prepared for the worst. Rave sighed, looked him in the eyes…and smiled.

"She stays."

His hug was crushing. Normally she would have thrown him through the window for this, but in this case it seemed better to let it slide.

"But I thought the vote had to be unanimous for her to stay?"

"It did."

"You mean you actually voted for her to stay, I though you didn't trust her?" He said, giving her a curious stare.

"I didn't. I still don't completely. But the fact that she survived those test means that she is free from outside control, and is strong enough to be a Titan again." She said as she turned around to leave.

"Raven." Beast Boy called, causing her to turn around.

"Thank you."

"If keeping Terra around means there's someone else you can annoy other than me, than I'm all for it." She said, her normal tone returning.

Soon he was alone again, except for Terra, who remained unconscious. Monitors hooked up to her read off streams of data, but none of them made sense to Beast Boy. All he knew was that she was getting better, the deathly shade of gray she had worn after the test being replaced with her usual healthy glow. She should be waking up soon he reasoned; time to go get her a welcome back gift.

But what? He was broke, so fine jewelry was out of the question. Poetry wasn't exactly his thing, and he didn't know what kind of clothes she would like to wear. A thousand ideas began to trickle through his mind as he glanced down at her, and noticed her eyes were moving.

She was dreaming.

The city was silent and wreathed with smoke. She pushed herself up off the cement, her body bruised and sore. She had no idea where she was, except that it was in Jump-city. Silently she began to walk towards the bay, the shadowy form of Titans tower guiding her. Not a single person was out on the streets. Not one bird called out, all forms of wildlife seeming to have vanished from whatever was going on. She kept to the shadows, not wanting to attract attention from whatever was out there. But the shadows seemed to follow her, the way they stretched their tendrils towards her. She suddenly had a terrible feeling of vertigo, and an intense desire to be off the streets.

Ducking into the nearest apartment building, she walked along its lobby, her steps echoing in an unnatural way. It was pitch black, and she quickly produced a flashlight from her utility belt. That's when she noticed what she was wearing, the clothes she had on when she first meet the Titans. She hadn't worn that outfit ever since she left. What was going on here? She clicked on the flashlight, its weak cone of light spilling across the lobby. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, dust and months of built up detritus littered the floor. The place looked abandoned, but she heard the faint sounds of talking. Slowly she continued forward until she was at the front desk. The sound was coming from the stairwell, off in the corner. She could have sworn she had just seen someone duck in there.

"Hello? Are you all right? Hello?!" She called, but nothing responded. Not wanting to let a possible source of answers get away she raced into the stairwell, following the wisps of smoke that trailed higher and higher. Finally she stopped, breath coming in ragged gasps, her legs begging for rest. The door to whatever floor she was on opened, seemingly by its own will. The call to enter was overwhelming, and she pushed her body for the few more steps it would take to enter that hall.

She stepped through and the world seemed to change, leaping towards her then back again. It was even darker here - her flashlight wasn't even able to penetrate the gloom anymore that a foot. Things seemed to race along the walls, the scratching of tiny legs filling her ears. Echoes of things drifted in the smoke that blanketed the air, snippets of conversations held long ago. The only source of light was a string of gold coming from between the floor and a door at the end of the hall. It was the only place to go, the way back out seeming to have vanished. Slowly she crept towards it while the echoes and scuttling getting louder with each step. Anxiety flooded her and she wanted nothing more than to go, but she couldn't stop walking. Despite her protest her body trudged forward, step by step towards the door. She looked around, but whenever she focused on something it seemed to melt away, being replaced by something entirely different. Eventually she stood before the door and her hand reached out on its own and turned the handle. Static rushed through her vision like she was looking through the lens of some old camera. Her body was hers again, and despite her fierce rubbing, her eyes would not return to normal.

She was in the bedroom of a small apartment. There was a window, but only a grainy white was outside. It looked like the rest of reality had been blasted apart. She heard a whimpering from the corner and turned towards it. Cowering In a corner was a small girl, no more than 9. Quickly she moved towards the girl, kneeling down in front of her. The girl was crying.

"Shhh" Terra cooed softly.

"Where are your Mommy and Daddy? Do you know what's going on here?" She said, concern and puzzlement creeping into her voice.

"The bad person took them" the girl said between gentle sobs.

"What bad person? Where did they go?"

The girl looked up and recoiled in fear, pointing towards the window. Terra looked, amazed at what she saw. It was a bright warm day outside. The sun was radiating off the widows of the adjacent building, and for a moment Terra thought everything was all right. Then she looked down. People from all direction streamed towards the bay, expressions of terror etched across every face. Explosions rolled in the background, buildings crumbling beneath the awesome power being wielded by whatever adversary approached. The sound of fighting drew closer, and she could make out the shapes of men who moved with drilled precision; the military. They streamed around their tanks like ants around a queen, firing into the approaching cloud of dust. An explosion of earth shook the street, dozens of men and machines vanishing into the ground. The rest scattered, seeing the futility in staying, their only concern now their safety.

"The bad person" the girl sobbed "the bad person is coming back."

Terra stood horrified as swaths of people were cut down in their flight by arcs of power. Entire blocks crumbled and as the dust settled a figure revealed itself to the hundreds of dead and dying.

"Who is that" Terra breathed, tears of sorrow beginning to come to the surface. The girl was silent, and remained that way. Terra turned around as a shape flashed towards her. Bony fingers grabbed her by the collarbone, burrowing in to her flesh. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as the creature continued to morph before her eyes. Arms and legs grew longer, skin molted off to revel a suit of rusted form fitting metal armor now encasing the demonic shape latched onto her. Teeth grew then rotted to reveal pointed shards of rocks, quivering in their gums. Dirty hair, the color of rotting straw fell down behind its head. Hateful blue eyes stared into Terra's, and she shrieked it in absolute terror.

"It is I. How quickly you can forget my dear." Her rotting double spoke to her, with the voice of Slade. With a shriek of pleasure the creature threw her out the window.

A groan from the bed snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Terra?"

She was being dragged. Hard bits of rock dug into her knees, and she left a trail of blood behind her. Her vision swam, and a multitude of sounds assaulted her thoughts. It sounded like the ocean, but when she commanded her vision to focus only mud slid past, frothing wildly. Still she was dragged, up hard steps of limestone, past monuments forged from granite and dripping in blood. It was a vision of hell. She mustered enough strength to look up, to see where she was being dragged. She was almost at the entrance of Titans tower.

The entranced loomed closer, the charnel stink of decay pouring out from the blackness beyond. Every fiber of her being seemed to be screaming to get away, to not enter, but she was powerless to resist, the shapes holding her unforgiving in their crushing embrace. She was dragged into the entrance and the world fell away behind her. Red mist covered the ground, and the walls continually shifted, mad portraits appears and disappearing, all made from earth. She was hauled up flight of stairs, and into the main room. Grisly trophies adorned these walls, and she sobbed as their shaped revealed themselves. A small mask hung by a nail, below that the tattered remains of the Boy-Wonder's uniform. Opposite that, on a table crudely shaped from slabs of earth laid a hand, its metallic surface reflecting the dead light that shone in through the windows. The creatures dragged her through the room, into the hall that once led to the Titan's rooms. Past Robins, past Cyborg's, past the others, never ending screams emitting from them, though she could not tell if the screams belonged to her friends. They dropped her in front of what used to be her room, and the door ground open. With a savage push that sent her tumbling the creatures closed the door behind her.

Terra's prostrate form began to quiver in the bed, her groans being replaced with slight screams and Beast Boy ran to get Cyborg as the machines lining the wall began to blip and chime uncontrollably.

It was impossibly large for the dimensions it used to be. The room seemed almost circular, the ends retreating into shadow. They air was still and almost too thin to breath. She struggled forward, intent on finding a way to escape.

"Hello apprentice. Or should I say master…" The deformed twin materialized before her eyes, perched on a throne of bone.

"Look what we have accomplished; we have brought the world to its knees. More than anything I or my master had thought possible. At least until we became one." The creature said, standing up and throwing its arms out in a grand gesture.

"What?" Terra gasped, fear choking back any other words.

"Hmmm? Oh, you didn't know? Of course not, you were too stupid, too naive to realize it. Not even Slade realized it, until it happened."

Nothing the creature said made any sense. Slade wanted her, sure, but he would never have done…this. Right?

"I see you are still too stupid." The she-thing sneered, kicking Terra back.

Instead of cold stone, she rolled onto a soft carpet. Raising herself to her knee, she looked down and noticed she had come to rest on the pelt of some great bear. A wave of revulsion swept through her, every though screaming for release. This couldn't be happening, this isn't real, it wouldn't happen like this. But every thought seemed to be a physical blow, shooting her vision down to the great pelt strewed beneath her. Bitter tears raced to the surface. She wanted to die for this.

The fur beneath her was green.

"Her mind is reacting to all the trauma it's had to put up with. To wake her up would only kill her. If she's going to wake up, it's going to be when she wants to. She's fighting a battle in her head; it's something she has to win to wake up from." Cyborg said, after examining the charts of data now strewn about the infirmary.

Upon returning to her side with Cyborg, Beast Boy had been holding her hand, unable to stand watching her like this. Tears budded from her closed eyes and her body shook violently, as if it was under assault. She murmured incoherent things, her voice holding great pain.

She threw everything she could at her opposite. Golden energy shooting from her hands, bricks, slabs, entire walls were flung at the devil. But it simply dodged or disappeared, reappearing from mist right next to her to deliver a crushing blow. Rage consumed her, and still she fought on. She would take this place apart; destroy it all, she screamed, if that was what it took to kill her nightmare. The creature simply cackled, and continued to evade. Soon the tower was in pieces flung all over, and Terra could fight no more. Weakly she knelt on the ground, twists of metal and stone littering the area around her. The creature strode towards her, victory alight in its eyes.

"Terra, wake up. Please wake up." Beast Boy pleaded, his face just inches from hers. He couldn't sit by and let her kill herself, he wouldn't allow it. He shook her by the shoulders, saying her name over and over, spewing forth his feeling about her, his hopes his dreams, how much he needed her to just wake up.

"Please, I can't lose you again. Just wake up." He whispered, resting his forehead on hers.

A feeling of calm spread through her ruined body, and she felt like someone she cared for deeply was nearby, supporting her.

"This is the world you will create Terra, this is how it will look. Embrace it, and make it happen." The creature taunted stopping just feet from Terra.

Slowly a slab of stone rose up, a golden aura surrounding it. The creature stared impassively as it rose above the shattered girl, laughed at her feeble attempts to resist her.

"Have we not been through this? You cannot hope to beat me. Your rocks are dust to me, your bolts of earth nothing but echoes of your futility. What hope do you have against me?" The creature continued, a mocking smile splayed across its ruined features.

Weakly Terra smiled, holding close to that feeling of comfort. She knew how to win. She began to hear things, strings of admittance, and of love. They were for her and she was not going to lose. The slab hovered over her, its golden sheen beginning to gleam brightly.

"I will beat you the same way you beat an infection." She said, causing a look of bewilderment upon the creature.

"Stop it at the source." The golden energy released the slab, and it plummeted down to the earth.

A scream of pure hatred was the last thing she heard.

She shot up into his arms, into his lips. Both were surprised, but both welcomed it. She trembled violently as he held her to him. Slowly their lips parted, faces blushing. He had been sitting on the edge of the bed, and she curled herself into him, not falling asleep but seeking the comfort only he could give. She listened to his heart beat, eyes closed and a content smile on her lips. Her pain melted away under his touch, and she was able to find the home she hadn't had for so long, in his arms.

The door to the infirmary is open and as Starfire passes by she sees them cuddled together. Stopping in her tracks she stares with rapt enthusiasm, and begins to draw in a deep breath, ready to shout how joyous this occasion is and how it deserves celebrating. A hand quickly shoots up to muffle her cry, and a voice says "Don't."

"But why friend Raven, when this is most certainly an occasion that calls for celebration." Starfire spoke, once she and the Raven had left the couple's earshot.

* * *

Well there's the part a bunch of you must have been waiting for. Chapter 5 should be up around this time next week. I have a couple other stories in the works, including a sequal to this one (even though I'm not finished with this story yet), so I am juggling writing all of them.


	5. Chapter 5

And here we have part 5. I should warn you, it has obligatory plot twists that by this point arent much of a twist (did I just give too much away?) so if you cant stomach this, then don't read. I decided to stick kind of close to the formula here, but don't worry, what I have planned for my next stories are fully my own creation (I hope what I'm doing hasn't been done yet!). This whole story sort of sets the stage for the next ones I have in the works.

* * *

He still hadn't told her she was a Titan again. He wanted it to be special; she deserved that much after all she went through. Once she had felt better she told him about the dream, huddling close to him when the images became too real. He told her about what he had said, blushing when she recounted how she had heard him. In a word, they were inseparable. She had been moved from the infirmary to her room and had been recovering there for the last day. When he wasn't with her he was making tracks in his room from pacing back and forth, thinking of ways to tell her. Giving her a surprise party was out, they did that the last time. Or did that really count he wondered, since she hadn't exactly been…forget it. What about putting the communicator in the heart shaped box he made her? Or a pie, she likes pies and she will like being a Titan so that should work right? Crap. This was giving him a headache.

Maybe he should get her a phone, and call her on it. Then he would say "can you hear me now" and when she says no he would say "well then use this next time" and give her the communicator. He marked that down as a possible.

He could take her to the carniv…wait, he knocked down half of it and it didn't exactly bring to mind good times. This was really giving him a headache, and the way he went around smacking himself in the head for every bad idea he got, which had been almost all of them, didn't help.

What if he wrote her a poem?

_Roses are red_

_Violets are blue_

_I had the flu_

_And you're a Titan too!_

*Wham*

That smack really hurt.

He couldn't just tell her could he?

"Terra?"

"Yeah B.B?"

"You're a Titan." It took a minute to sink in, but before he knew it she had jumped up and hugged him.

After giving him a peck on the cheek and watching him turn another shade of color, she said to him:

"Well aren't you the creative one."

"It was either that or pie…" he replied with a sheepish grin.

"Pie? You really do know how to take it to the next level, don't you?" She said with a grin. She had started moving around earlier that day, much to everyone's surprise. She had taken such a beating from the tests and then her mind's reaction to it that nobody had expected her to be up for at least two weeks. She had only been down four days.

He had tried to convince her to stay put, but she insisted on roaming around the tower. Eventually he gave in and they walked around together, hands clasped together and her head rested on his shoulder. More often than not they would find themselves on the roof, just watching the clouds go by. It didn't exactly scream fun to Beast Boy, but if Terra enjoyed it then he would try to too.

Eventually she decided that the tower was too small, and she was ready to go outside again.

"What?" Beast Boy said, his face incredulous.

"I said lets go out."

"Where, are you even feeling good enough to go out there?"

"Sure, it'll take more than some tests and bad dreams to keep this girl down." She said, thumping her chest.

"Oww" the moan comes with pained amusement.

"Where did you even want to go?"

"I dunno, just get something to eat I guess. Some fresh air never hurt either. So are you coming or not?" She replied over her shoulder, walking towards the door.

He tried to think of an argument, but when he turned around she was already headed out the door.

"Hey, wait for me." He sputtered, running after her.

"So what did you feed him again?" Cyborg asks, eyeing the twitching form of Beast Boy cautiously.

"Umm…heh…a triple stuffed nacho Grande rocky road burrito supreme with lava sauce mixed with orange soda backed in oil with a lemon. It was a joke; I didn't think he would really eat it." She said innocently, rubbing the back of her neck.

"You really don't know this green dude very well do you?"

"I thought even he had his limits."

"He does, he just doesn't know them yet. But I think he just found one." He said, walking out of Beast Boy's room.

"Beast Boy?" Terra said, approaching the bed where he was seemingly unconscious.

"Beast Boy?" Only a slight gurgle came back as an answer.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked, leaning in towards him.

"Get out." He whispered.

"What?"

"Get out."

Slowly the mask of stubbornness slips over her face.

"It's not my fault you actually ate that. No rational person would ever eat something like that."

From down the hall she heard Cyborg shout out "You really don't know that green dude, do you?"

"Get out, now." He said with a bit more enthusiasm.

"Why?" She said, staring at him as he started to convulse again.

"ooooooooooh" he moaned, as a gurgling sound emitted from his bowels.

"What happened? B.B, are you oka-ah, what's that smell!?" She yelped, stumbling back as if she was hit.

"I'll be back in the morning, try not to die." She said as she ran for the door, covering her mouth and nose.

"I tried to warn you." He called out, before returning to his moaning.

A knocking on his door woke him up. Looking around, he noticed the sun was already high up in the sky, and half the day was gone. His stomach felt like it was on fire. Painfully he dragged himself to his feet and began hobbling towards the door. As soon as he opened it a brown paper bag was thrust into his face.

"What's this?" He said, grabbing the bag from Terra's hand.

"A…get well soon gift. I guess." She said as he pulled the object out of the bag. He read the label: Pepto Bismal…relieves nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach and diarrhea.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I didn't know you would eat the thing. In one bite." She continued "But I had a great time...well at least until you started, ya'know, crapping yourself."

She was about to continue when a piercing wail rang out. The alarm had gone off; something bad was happening that warranted their attention. Suddenly Robin was silhouetted in the doorway.

"There's a riot going on in the prison, the inmates got out of their cells and are trying to get into the warden's office. We have to stop them; the power switch that keeps the high priority inmates is located there."

He pointed at Beast Boy, "You stay here. I don't need you getting in worse shape than you already are." He then looked at Terra, "Are you up to it?" He asked her.

Her eyes went wide.

"You mean it?"

"We need everyone we can get, and you are a Titan again." She nodded, and dashed out after Robin, leaving Beast Boy alone and in pain. Dejected, he made his way back to bed and fell asleep despite the pain in his stomach.

The prison was in an uproar. No one knew who started the riot; they only knew that it had spiraled dangerously out of control. Small fights and even larger mobs formed and happened almost every day, but this was something different. This was organized, driven. The target was clear; the mass of screaming prisoners was headed for the warden's office. Dozens fell to the floor, felled by the security officer's batons or pepper-spray, but for each that went down two more filled his place.

The base charges were activated. Wrapped around pillars, they began to tick down to oblivion.

10: "Titans go!" Robin yelled, as they leaped into the chaos.

9: A security officer was thrown to the ground, and nearly lost his face to the crushing boot of an imamate.

8: The prison's transfer corridor was wreathed in smoke; the only door that remained closed was one labeled "Enhanced Solitary Confinement" in big black letters.

7: The Titans were immersed in the melee, trying to stem the tide.

6: The guards rallied, and began to push back.

5: A very worried warden wiped his brow, surveying the bedlam below.

4: The band of prisoners still standing surged forwards yet again, crashing into the guards and Titans.

3: With only a dozen or so of the inmates remaining upright they backed up, unsure of what to do now.

2: The guards moved forward, intent on quelling the riot once and for all.

1: Silence suffocated the prison, and the warden let out a long breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

0: Fire erupted around the generator site, drenching the prison in darkness. A slow roar echoed from the last door, which now hung open ominously.

Beast Boy's communicator activated, waking him up again. He groped around for it, muttering constantly. He hated begin left out. He knew why Robin did it, so he couldn't be mad at him, but he was still mad. His hand closed around the yellow object, and he brought it up to eye level.

"Beast Boy, we need your help, come to the abandoned industrial area in sector 7. Hurry!" Robin's choppy voice said, the sounds of fighting ringing in the background. Hurriedly he pushed himself up, and probed his stomach with his finger for any sign of resistance. It was quiet, for now.

"Beast Boy to Robin, I'm on my way."

The fight had long since broken out of the prison. With a roar, the few inmates who had been kept in the contained area had charged and broken out of the prison compound. Most had been taken down, but one still fought them. With a bellow Cinderblock charged, throwing aside Cyborg and Starfire in his attack. They had chased Cinderblock into the city park, and they were intent on not letting him leave. But everything they threw at him he somehow shrugged off, and continued fighting.

"There has to be a way to bring this guy down!" Cyborg yelled, scrambling back to his feet.

"I think I have an idea, keep him busy." Terra said, and began channeling her powers. It felt good to be a hero again, and again she kicked herself for ever leaving. To think that she had worked with people like this monster was appalling. She closed her eyes and felt her power leap out of her hands. She could manipulate any kind of earth, and seeing as how this giant thing was made of stone, it might just be possible to…yes! With a crash of noise, she brought the leviathan to it's knees, her golden energy surrounding its form. It let out a scream of frustration and tried to get up, but she wouldn't let it.

"Hurry guys, I can't keep him down forever!" She yelled; sweat beading on her head from the effort of keeping Cinderblock down. They quickly swarmed him, Robin tying him up while the others helped Terra keep him down. Soon it was over - they had won.

The industrial area was quiet when Beast Boy got there. He was surprised that the fighting from the prison had made it all the way out here. Sector 7 itself was on the outskirts of Jump-city, and the industrial park was on the outskirts of sector 7. Practically in the middle of nowhere, it was an odd place to have a fight, but his friends needed him so he went. As he flew in, he didn't notice anything - no signs of fighting and no sound either. He started searching, but found nothing. His communicator wouldn't work very well either, but whether it was because he was too far out of range or something was blocking it he didn't know.

"Beast Boy to Robin, come in. Where are you guys?" He spoke into the communicator.

"Beast Boy, we're in warehouse 2, get here as fast as you can." Came Robin's reply. It was just as garbled as before, even though warehouse 2 was about a city block from where he was. He began running, and soon was at the entrance of warehouse 2. It was as quiet as everything else here; the only sound was the wind whistling through. Something didn't feel right, but it was Robin's voice and they needed him. He opened the door and stepped in.

Darkness swallowed him, and it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. Dilapidated machinery surrounded him, but no sign of the other Titans. His sense of unease grew as he continued into the ruined warehouse. There was nothing here, no Titans and no enemies. He felt fear creep into him as he heard something scrape past metal behind him.

"Who's there!?" He shouted, wheeling around. Nothing, just the wind he thought to himself. There was a slight pffft sound and he stiffened. He felt the dart sink into his skin and release its toxins into his bloodstream. As he fell, his world spinning, he could see a shadow detach itself from the surrounding darkness and start towards him. A booted foot rolled him onto his back, and he was starting into the "face" of a person he had come to hate.

"Hello Beast Boy. I must thank you for your prompt response to my summons. I have great plans for you, and by extension the city." Spoke a deadpan voice from behind a mask.

* * *

Warned you. So, I'm sure _nobody_ saw _that_ coming. As I said a few sections ago, this is the first creative thing I've written since middle school (so think years), and I'm more or less just stretching my literary fingers and getting back in the game. This story is just a refresher on how I'm supposed to write, and I'm trying to find a style that suits me. But have no fear dear reader, what's coming after this story (not section, I'm not finished with this story yet) is original, and should be much more interesting.

As always rate and review, and figure the next installment will be up around this time next week.


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